BanGos - If She Knew What She Wants

 BanGos doing a live rendition of If She Knew What She Wants

The DC Animated Universe Weekly Review - Batman: The Animated Series

Batman: The Animated Series

Episode 18

Beware the Gray Ghost

 

This is a fun episode, that’s the easiest way to explain it. It calls back to Adam West as the 1960s Batman by having him voice Simon Trent an actor who played the Gray Ghost, a fictional superhero in the world of Batman, which inspired Batman to become a superhero.  

 

Someone is copying the plot of one of the Gray Ghost’s old episodes and blowing up places and ransoming the city.  Batman recognizes the episode from when he was a kid.  He asks Simon Trent for help in the investigation.  Trent helps Batman and together they figure out it’s the dude Trent has been pawning his Gray Ghost merchandise to.

 

The highlights of this episode are seeing Brice Wayne’s happy childhood with his parents, the more childlike inspiration of his hero persona, show creator Bruce Timm being cast as the villain Ted Dymer.  You can tell the production team probably had a good laugh at his expense for the goofy fanboy voice acting.  

 

Written by
Joseph Ammendolea
Owner/President
“I Like To Play With Toys” Productions®
ILikeToPlayWithToysProductions@Yahoo.com

Episode by Episode - Star Trek: Enterprise

Season 3

Episode 72 The Forgotten

 

Given the high action of the last episode this one is rather slow.  Archer tries to befriend the Xindi by supplying proof of all the time travel crapola.  Tucker has beef with the Xindi.  All the damages on Enterprise cause problems.  The Reptilian Xindi attack and forces Degra and his Primate Xindi to team-up with Enterprise to fight the Reptilians.  

 

It’s a small moment growing to something bigger.  Enterprise went into the Delphic Expanse alone and has made a legitimate alley who will eventually fight beside them. 

 

Written by
Joseph Ammendolea
Owner/President
“I Like To Play With Toys” Productions®
ILikeToPlayWithToysProductions@Yahoo.com

BanGos - Cool Jerk

 BanGos performing Cool Jerk live.

The DC Animated Universe Weekly Review - Batman: The Animated Series

Batman: The Animated Series

Episode 17

See No Evil

 

You’re about to witness the most controversial statement in this review series.  See No Evil is the best episode ever in Batman: the Animated Series.  It’s a story about a dad trying to regain custody of his daughter.  The dad is a criminal who can make himself invisible with a suit.  He’s earning his money by turning invisible and robbing places.  This puts Batman on his radar.  

 

The backstory is what sells this episode as authentic.  Lloyd Ventrix is posing as his daughter Kimmy’s invisible friend Mojo.  Her mom thinks it’s an active imagination but he’s the real deal.  Lloyd confronts Helen and tries to win her over with his newfound cash infusion but she’s not impressed.   One can fill in the blanks on this relationship which probably involves abuse, lying, cheating, one bad mistake after another.  Since he can’t win Helen over the traditional way and work his way back into their lives, he decides to kidnap his daughter.  There’s something tragic about Lloyd Ventrix actions though.  He’s not evil.  He’s a guy that wants to have a relationship with his daughter but since he’s a crook, handles it completely wrong.

 

When he tries to kidnap Kimmy, she’s never in urgent danger, he’d never hurt her.  But his actions will hurt Kimmy’s mother Helen.  Kimmy’s life with Ventrix could never be a happy one because they’d constantly be in hiding.  Ventrix is too selfish of a character to understand the harm he brings. 

 

All of this is in the subtext on the show, it is never spelled out.  The plot is bare bones, Ventrix robs places, Batman figures it out, stops Ventrix, saves Kimmy.  The invisibility adds an obstacle for Batman to overcome.  For a one-time villain he packs a wallop.  In the DCAU continuity Batman uses this invisible tech as the foundation for the Batsuit’s cloak ability in Batman Beyond.   

 

This episode has it all; tragedy, action, drama, and a happy ending.  When you look at BtAS and the DCAU as a whole very few can cover all these points as poignantly as See No Evil does.  Also another great episode that doesn’t have a major rogue as the antagonist.  

 

Written by
Joseph Ammendolea
Owner/President
“I Like To Play With Toys” Productions®
ILikeToPlayWithToysProductions@Yahoo.com

Episode by Episode - Star Trek: Enterprise

Season 3

Episode 71 Damage

 

The Enterprise is heavily damaged from their encounters in the last episode.  Archer is returned to Enterprise by the Aquarian Xindi.  He’s told to meet at specific coordinates in only a few days.  

 

In desperate need to make repairs and save Earth, the crew encounter aliens called Illyrians who provide some help but not enough to get Enterprise moving at warp.  Archer makes the decision to raid the ship and steal the supplies he needs.  

 

It’s the darkest episode of the season and not one that should sit well with anyone.  Heroes shouldn’t do bad things to save the day.  It’s certainly against the overall message of Star Trek which is peace and exploration.  Yes, it’s an Earth ship and not the United Federation of Planets.  But Archer leaves the Illyrians stranded in the Delphic Expanse with no warp drive, years away from their home planet. 

 

The stakes were high and his decision would ultimately save Earth but the idea that Enterprise is hurting other beings for their own gain is so anti-Star Trek it’s difficult to like the episode, despite how well written it truly was.  

 

The episode also reveals more of the true big bad, the sphere builders and how they are manipulating the Xindi.  “The Guardian” is manipulating time to their own advantages.  Some of the Xindi are now developing doubts about their plans to destroy Earth.

 

In a rather boring, annoying, unneeded plot twist we learn T’Pol has become addicted to Trillium-D and is injecting herself in small doses to experience emotions.  It’s an annoying subplot that wasn’t needed given all the other high drama floating around.   Also, very un-Vulcan and an illogical choice.   

 

Written by
Joseph Ammendolea
Owner/President
“I Like To Play With Toys” Productions®
ILikeToPlayWithToysProductions@Yahoo.com

BRATS FAILS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT EXPLORES

Hulu’s Andrew McCarthy documentary Brats wasn't as intriguing as it should have been. In fact it was rather self indulgent and failed to understand or capture the true mysticism surrounding the 1980s Brat Pack.

Its key members and adjacent members spend the documentary complaining about a label which has defined their career for almost 40 years. It never digs deeper into what they were going through at that time, how they rose to that status, what their career was like after the label. It barely skims the surface with any depth. The nostalgia of seeing Brat Pack actors reminisce isn't enough to save this documentary. 

What it devolved into, entirely by accident, is a bunch of rich celebrities, in their very expensive homes, lightly complaining about something that made them rich. They do regret rejecting the label in the early days but to complain about how it affected their career while sitting in kitchens the size of other folks houses really makes it hard to relate. 

People living on multi-acre farms or living with scenic ocean views truly have no right to complain about hiccups in careers that gave them so much. 

It's not a documentary that mocks its fan base or disrespects it. It doesn't even hate on the label. It's a documentary that doesn't understand its fans. It's so out of touch with what Brat Pack really meant. At no point do the actors ever truly factor in the resonance their films had for people and pop culture. Not with any depth worth noting. A true miss on what could have been something amazing.

Written by
Joseph Ammendolea
Owner/President
“I Like To Play With Toys” Productions®
ILikeToPlayWithToysProductions@Yahoo.com

The DC Animated Universe Weekly Review - Batman: The Animated Series

Batman: The Animated Series

Episode 15 & 16

The Cat and the Claw Part 1 and Part 2

 

We’re not breaking this up because the two episodes tones are so consistent they deserve the same review. 

 

This was actually the first episode to air on TV but the 8^th created.  It’s quite the introduction to the character.  We meet Catwoman for the first time and learn she’s Selina Kyle.  She’s a cat burglar that manages to trick Batman just enough to regularly get away.  

 

The basic plot is some type of terrorist conspiracy involving Red Claw.  Batman is trying to stop it. Selina Kyle is causing problems for the terrorist via her environmental lobbying. Her alter ego Catwoman is causing problems via her robberies.  We get a heavy showing of the difference between wholesome Bruce Wayne and tough as nails Batman.  Selina Kyle is way into Batman but thinks Bruce is just a nice guy and totally friend-zones him.  

 

The cliffhanger is the ultra bad guy Red Claw’s goons learn Selina Kyle is Catwoman.  

 

Red Claw causes shenanigans, kidnaps Catwoman’s best friend Maven. (Is Maven her lesbian girlfriend, lesbian best friend)?  Our guess is yes. Catwoman goes to save her friend, Batman finds the same location through his detective skills.  Massive fights take place.  Batman stops a big virus from being unleashed on Gotham.  Catwoman defeats Red Claw.  

 

Batman tracks Catwoman back to her apartment and arrest her for her criminal activity.  He totally wanted to bone her but Batman doesn’t tolerate crooks.    

 

There are better episodes in the series but for what became an intro episode it’s not bad.  It’s not a particularly exciting two-parter.  Some episodes just don’t have enough time when you have two villains and are trying to develop a romance.   Catwoman’s design is based on Michelle Pfeiffer from Batman Returns which actually turned out really nice.  She’s a brunette in the comics but it’s a nice change to have her as a blonde in the show.  

 

Written by
Joseph Ammendolea
Owner/President
“I Like To Play With Toys” Productions®
ILikeToPlayWithToysProductions@Yahoo.com

Episode by Episode - Star Trek: Enterprise

Season 3

Episode 70 Azati Prime

 

Enterprise arrives where the Earth destroying weapon is being built.  They investigate the area and Archer decides to pilot a shuttle to the area to destroy it himself.  The mission will be a death sentence.  He doesn’t want to order anyone else to die.  

 

Archer then gets transported 400 years into the future by recurring time travelor friend Daniels.  Daniels tells Archer the Sphere builders are the real big bads and are defeated in the future in a unified effort of many aliens including humans and Xindi.  Archer tells Daniels to stuff it, returns to his own timeline, and pilots the shuttle anyway.

 

Archer gets to where the weapon is but the weapon is gone, he is captured by the Xindi and interrogated.  He starts talking to the Xindi and somewhat convinces Degra (the creator of the Xindi weapon) that if humanity is destroyed, Sphere Builders will destroy the Xindi.  Basically Archer starts spewing the Daniels time travel mumbo jumbo. 

 

While Degra is investigating his claims, the Reptilian Xindi attack Enterprise and do serious damage to the ship.  End of episode

 

It’s a solid episode with a lot of tension and great plot reveals.  If you’re invested in the overall plot of season three, this is fun.  But it took a long time to get to these moments and there is a lot more of season three left to unfold. 

 

Written by
Joseph Ammendolea
Owner/President
“I Like To Play With Toys” Productions®
ILikeToPlayWithToysProductions@Yahoo.com

BanGos - I Get Weak

 Live at the South Huntington Public Library a performance of I Get Weak by BanGos.

The DC Animated Universe Weekly Review - Batman: The Animated Series

Batman: The Animated Series

Episode 14

Heart of Ice

This is one of the best episodes of the entire series and the DCAU as a whole.  The introduction of Mr. Freeze is absolute perfection.  The creators took a joke villain from the comics and 1960s Batman show and turned him into a tragic rogue an audience can find themselves rooting for.  

 

Ultimately Batman has to stop him because Mr. Freeze is seeking revenge against the man who killed his wife and turned him into a freak who can only live in sub zero temperatures. 

It cements Mr. Freeze as one of Batman’s best rogues in the entire series.  Every episode with him was tragic and frightening and it all started with the tone set in Heart of Ice.  Even the ending with Mr. Freeze sitting in his cell looking at a statuette version of his wife is so ominous.  Couple that with an epic musical score and you have a timeless story.

 

The episode is so influential that it changed the character in the comics and also influenced how he was portrayed in the film Batman & Robin.  So what you have is a film series that influenced a cartoon and then the cartoon influenced the film series.  Even though Batman & Robin sucked, it was cool to see how the animated series was defining Batman.  

Shoutout to Mark Hamill as corporate jerk Ferris Boyle. 

Written by
Joseph Ammendolea
Owner/President
“I Like To Play With Toys” Productions®
ILikeToPlayWithToysProductions@Yahoo.com

Episode by Episode - Star Trek: Enterprise

Season 3

Episode 69 Hatchery

 

The Enterprise comes across a Xindi Insectoid ship filled with eggs.  Archer gets infected with something that makes him want to do everything he can to protect the eggs.  His orders start becoming erratic.  The crew is pitted against one another.  Archer’s overzealousness is finally stopped and he’s treated for his condition and the Enterprise continues on their mission.

 

It’s not a bad episode but clearly season three is stretching out their Xindi storylines because they are nine episodes away from the conclusion of season three.  So the writers are throwing in any odd filler episodes they can come up with, in order to slow down the progress of Enterprise from saving the day before the end of the season.  

 

Written by
Joseph Ammendolea
Owner/President
“I Like To Play With Toys” Productions®
ILikeToPlayWithToysProductions@Yahoo.com